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Will Nasdaq Pull Off a Surprise This Earnings Season?

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Key Takeaways

  • Nasdaq's Q2 performance is expected to benefit from continued organic growth and new sales.
  • Nasdaq reported strong Q2 trading volumes, adding further support to overall performance.
  • Share buybacks during Q2 are anticipated to support the bottom line.

Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ - Free Report) is expected to register an improvement in its top and bottom lines when it reports second-quarter 2025 results on July 24, before the opening bell.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NDAQ’s second-quarter revenues is pegged at $1.28 billion, indicating 10% growth from the year-ago reported figure.

The consensus estimate for earnings is pegged at 80 cents per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NDAQ’s second-quarter earnings has moved down 1.3% in the past 30 days. The estimate suggests a year-over-year increase of 15.9%.

What Our Quantitative Model States

Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for Nasdaq this time around. This is because the stock has the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold).

Earnings ESP: Nasdaq has an Earnings ESP of +0.47% at present. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate of 81 cents is pegged higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 80 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Nasdaq, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Nasdaq, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Nasdaq, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Nasdaq, Inc. Quote

Zacks Rank: Nasdaq currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Factors to Consider

Continued organic revenue growth, new sales, an increase in Financial Crime Management Technology revenues and are likely to have aided Nasdaq’s second-quarter performance.

Non-trading revenues are likely to have benefited from improved results in Capital Access Platforms, Financial Technology and Market Services businesses.

Higher subscription revenues from new sales and price increases to existing clients, and revenues from new clients, are likely to have aided the Financial Crime Management Technology business. 

Higher subscription revenues in trade management services and market technology businesses as well as higher market technology and Calypso professional services revenues are likely to have aided the Capital Markets Technology business. We expect Capital Markets Technology revenues to increase 13.7% to $293.2 million.

Higher sales, increased usage and pricing in data business, higher average AUM in exchange-traded products linked to Nasdaq indices and growth in trading volume on futures contracts linked to the Nasdaq-100 Index are expected to have aided performance at the Capital Access Platforms division. An increase in analytics revenues, largely driven by eVestment, is also likely to have benefited this division. 

An increase in professional & contract services expenses, as well as technology and communication infrastructure, marketing and advertising, depreciation and amortization and regulatory, merger and strategic initiatives is expected to have increased total expenses for the to-be-reported quarter. We expect non-GAAP operating expenses to increase 7.5% year over year.

Nevertheless, share buybacks in the to-be-reported quarter are anticipated to have provided a boost to the bottom line.

Q2 Volumes

Nasdaq reported impressive volumes for the second quarter of 2025. The U.S. equity options volume increased 23.3% year over year to 957 million contracts. European options and futures volume increased 3.3% year over year to 15.6 million contracts.

Revenues per contract for the U.S. equity options remain unchanged year over year at 12 cents, while the same for European options and futures increased 14.5% to 55 cents.

Under its cash equities, Nasdaq’s U.S. matched equity volume in the first quarter grossed 158.2 billion shares, up 32.6% from the prior-year quarter’s level. European equity volume increased 18% year over year to $243 billion. 

In the second quarter, there were 4,472 listed companies on the Nasdaq compared with 4,557 in the year-ago period. Total listings increased 3.5% year over year to 5,386.

We expect data and listing services revenues to increase 1.5% to $189.7 million in the to-be-reported quarter.

Other Stocks to Consider

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.42% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $2.43 per share, indicating a year-over-year increase of 13%. 
CBOE’s earnings beat estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing in one.

Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.57% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.76, indicating a year-over-year increase of 15.7%.

ICE’s earnings beat estimates in three of the last four reported quarters while meeting the same in one.

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (MKTX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.95% and carries a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.94, implying an increase of 12.7% from the year-ago reported figure.

MKTX’s beat estimates in each of the last four reported quarters.

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